Article Source: East Renfrewshire Council
Last Updated: 14 April 2013 12:57
It will help attract wildlife into the park as well as provide an outdoor classroom for neighbouring Barrhead High School.
The new facility is in a corner of Cowan Park that had become increasingly waterlogged and difficult to maintain.
So the council’s parks service decided to turn it into an attractive wetland area.
Central Scotland Green Network provided a grant of £16,000 to fund a study of water levels, landscape design and construction.
Following discussion with the Friends of Cowan Park, plans were drawn up for two shallow pools connected by a reed bed.
Earlier this month, a group of Dams to Darnley Country Park volunteers gave up their time to plant out the wetland.
They put in a total of 2000 plants to transform the corner of the park from soggy grass to rich, green environment.
Environment convener Councillor Vincent Waters went along to meet the volunteers and see the work in action.
He said: “I was delighted to go along and see the wetland taking shape and congratulate the staff and the Dams to Darnley volunteers who have made this happen.
“This will not only become an eye-catching area of the park, but will also provide the perfect outdoor classroom for Barrhead High pupils on field studies.
“The wetland is the perfect use of a boggy corner that was hard to maintain and will be a great community facility.”
For safety reasons the pools have been kept broad and little more than ankle deep.
But they provide the perfect environment for colourful plants such as the yellow flowering flag iris and marsh marigolds.
And over time, amphibians and wetland birds will colonise this new habitat.
It will also improve drainage of surrounding football pitches by diverting water into the wetland.
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